Despite Shylock's hatred for Antonio, Shylock lends 3000 ducats to Antonio, no interest involved. Also, if the deal isn't repaid he gets to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio. It is hard to see if Shylock is genuinely willing to be friendly with him saying, “I would be friends with you, and have your love”. This shows that Shylock could well be very forgiving, but he has been broken so badly by the Christians, it seems like it is his duty to bring the Christians down. Shylock's complete hatred is made evident when he says “let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me”. Here, Shylock isn't even asking for more money. Instead he wants some of Antonio's flesh, which clearly indicates Shylock's wrath towards Antonio.
Although Shylock comes across as a selfish an money loving person, he does hold a token of his earlier life where maybe he led an enjoyable life with a wife. However in the play there is no mention of the wife, and all has now is Jessica, his daughter. Shylock shows little love towards Jessica, and she finally becomes too depressed and upset about her life with Shylock, and runs away, as the ultimate insult, with the Christian, Gratiano, and Shylock's money. Shylock's reply to this even is “My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! ... My ducats and my daughter!” This suggests that Shylock is more mournful about the loss of his money, rather than that of his daughter. Another prime example of Shylock's love of possessions over his daughter is when he says “Jessica, my girl, look to my house”, which is basically telling her to look after his house, and not herself.
Shylock's love of money is obvious, It is most probable that it gives him a sense of security and safety. There are numerous times in the play when there is evidence of this. He even judges people for their wealth, and he says “My meaning is saying a good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient.” This shows he is so money orientated, that he even judges people by their wealth! Another example of Shylock's greed is when he says “Thou stick'st a dagger in me: I shall never see my gold again: fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats!” Here his daughter has taken 4 score ducats, and he is so sad and incensed at this, that he is asking to have a dagger stuck into his body. He is also repeating the same thing here, “four score ducats”, and it comes across like the ducats are his own love in life.
Antonio failed to pay back the 3000 ducats to Shylock, and Shylock is out for revenge. Shylock takes Antonio to court and turns down large quantities of gold. He even said “If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts, and every part were a ducat, I would not draw them. I would have my bond”. This shows how determined that Shylock is, and for probably the first time in his life, has turned down money in exchange for something worth very little. Revenge is very important to Shylock here, he could have many reasons for doing this. It could be for the loss of Jessica, his daughter, or perhaps, all the severe treatment he has received from Antonio and other Christians in the past. Shylock is confident he will have his bond, and that nothing can stop him from cutting the pound of flesh from Antonio.
The court proceedings begin, and Shylock clearly as got all his facts together. He is insanely confident that victory is his and gathers an example the Christians have previously set by saying “The villainy you teach me I will execute.” He mocks the saying here by cleverly mocking this Christian saying to go in to what he wants to say. His confidence seems to escalate again when he says “Thou call'dst me dog ... But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.” Shylock, here is relishing beating Antonio at his own game here, and is very self-assured that he is going to win. Shylock has few friends in the court room, but since what he has said is totally correct, and no one can find a fault in his words, many of Antonio's friends try to bully Shylock into changing his mind over it. Gratiano is the most vocal and says to Shylock “O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog!”. There are numerous other times when Shylock are called names like this, but Shylock refuses to give up his belief on this and continues unwavering, fixed on his goal of getting his bond.
However, there was still a glimmer of hope left for Antonio. Portia and Nerissa arrive on the scene dressed up as gentlemen. Portia, is dressed us a doctor of law, and called 'Balthazar'. Portia tries to get Shylock to be merciful, and to let Antonio off by saying “Then must the Jew be merciful.” Shylock remains unmoved and as bold as he was before. He does not realise what Portia is going to say soon to make the bond be pronounced forfeit, but he remains as self assured as ever by making quotes like “I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond.” He also celebrates the “victory” too soon by saying “A Daniel come to judgement! Yea, a Daniel!” and also becomes what seems to be obsession with the bond by saying “Is it nominated in the bond?” Shylock seems to be over excited and is sure that the bond will take place.
Portia, then, strikes the blow then with sinister accuracy at Shylock by saying “If thou dost shed one drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate unto the state of Venice.” Gratiano is the first to reply to this by making a mockery of Shylock, by saying “O upright judge! Mark jew: O learned judge.” Shylock is being mocked by his own sayings earlier, and Shylock suddenly accepts the offer by saying “I take the offer then: pay the bond thrice, and let the Christian go.” However, it is too late. Bassanio is willing to accept this agreement, but Portia backs Shylock into a bleak corner by saying “Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh. Shed thou no blood.” Shylock suddenly faces the prospect of coming out of this case with nothing. He has been shown no mercy, but however, if he had shown mercy to Antonio in the first place, this would not have happened. Gratiano continues to make a mockery of what Shylock had said earlier by this time saying “A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!” Gratiano is here showing of his complete hatred of Shylock, but can be seen to taking this too far. Shylock has little left in his locker and he knows it is all finished. He faces the prospect now of no money and no land, and he just wants it all to finish. He asks “Nay, take my life and all” but it is refused. In fairness to Shylock he does not complain and when asked if he was content, he replied “I am content”, showing that he maybe here seeing the error of his own ways. This is the last we here of Shylock in the play. We are left to ponder at what Shylock will be like for the rest of his life.
After reading the play, and summing it all up, I think that Shylock on the whole was more of a villain, rather than a victim. He had been treated badly, but in the end he had chances but instead was too insistent on trivial matters. I feel that Shylock went that little bit too far all the time, removing all my sympathy that I may have built up for him. While, I think Shylock was intended to be a villain when it was written by Shakespeare, i do think that modern audiences will sympathise more than the audiences, all those hundreds of years ago. However, in my opinion, there is little doubt in the end that Shylock has been portrayed as a villain and he still is a villain. No kind words are mentioned about him in the play, and there are really no friendships which Shylock had. I think that this, is enough to say that Shylock is just not a nice person, and is a villain. The crucial downfall to Shylock however was in the courtroom. He was far too insistent on getting this bond, and he had plenty of chances too show him self merciful. He even turned down the offer of the repayment of the money three times over. When he was told he was not to spill a drop of blood, he changed his mind right away. Too late. Shylock always went too far with arguments or trivial matters. So that is why I think that Shylock definitely deserves to be known as a villain.